The first gen. wolvy was a cool machine, just needed more gittyup. That basic machine with a 450 fuel injected motor and updated suspension would be a killer ride.
Exactly, the first gen was like a warrior with 4wd. Add a better motor and a little better suspension and you're set.
Make the wolvey with a stronger motor, but keep it light...and cheaper than a renegade, it will rule the roost. IRS would be OK as well
Thinking they could use the FI motor from the 550 grizz!
Then you've got a slightly more powerful heavy utility quad without racks. The current wolverine is heavy with the wrong type of chassis, wrong type of motor, and wrong type of transmission. Adding another utility motor with 120 more cc would make it better but it's not going to be anything close to what constitutes a "sport" 4x4.
There is demand for a true sport 4x4. The best we have now are the anemic wolverine and expensive renegades, both of which are essentially utility quads without racks. Both have utility powerplants and drivetrains and the weight and handling show it.
While I'm not sure the 700R is really the best platform for such a machine and I know that the price would make KTM's look cheap there is certainly a lot to be said for such a machine. The polaris outlaw isn't impressive to me with IRS, but as a 4x4 with a good powerplant that would have me thinking.
I really like the Polaris with IRS. As a matter of fact I like it so much I found this for my next raptor....
http://www.sonicoffroad.com/Atv%20IRS.html
Then buy a Polaris, it's cheaper than a new quad and that kit.
a 4X4 rappy would be stupid if you ask me. i agreed it would ruin the quad for sure.
i also agree that yamaha should just update the wolverine. slap in a 700R engine, piggy back shocks, a wider stance and a locking front diff. and i think that would be a mean son of a bitch right there.
You can sink thousands into suspension on a utility quad, the handling gets better but it's nowhere near that of even a big bore sport quad.
Your never going to get the feel of a sport quad out of 4x4, nor get the utility of 4x4 quad in a true sport. I've ridden the Rene plenty of times, it's a fun machine. The "4x4 sport" is a completely diffrent animal, and should not be compared to either the sport or utility markets IMO.
I agree the wolvy could use a new chasis, but its also the lightest of the "4x4 sports" now, and I'd like it to stay that way. If yamaha were to do a redesign with an additional 1 1/2-2" suspension travel increase, and add 5-8hp to the 450 wolvy, I think it'd be a winner.
I don't get the problem with the transmission. Has there been an issue, or just a global hatred for automatics?
Aaron